This invention relates generally to a safety device for preventing a ladder from slipping relative to a structure against which it is operatively positioned. More specifically, this invention relates to a safety device which is attachable to a rung of a ladder, which device includes a belt that permits the ladder to be secured to a structure against which it is placed.
Broadly speaking, a number of such belt containing safety devices are known in the prior art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,588 issued to R. B. Bendickson on Nov. 26, 1991; U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,971 issued to B. M. Rice on May 15, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,460 issued to J. L. Byrd on Oct. 8, 1985; U.S. Pat. No. 3,792,756 issued to H. Kelly on Feb. 19, 1974; U.S. Pat. No. 3,037,579 issued to W. H. Barrow on Jun. 5, 1962; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,982,572 issued to E. G. Colglazier, et al. on Nov. 27, 1934. The patent to Bendickson discloses a belt which is directly attachable between a ladder and a structure against which the ladder rests, which belt contains two buckles, each of which can be placed at a desired position on the belt. The reference belt is not permanently attachable to a ladder. The patent to Rice discloses a flexible metal cable containing hook members on opposite ends thereof adapted for attachment to an eaves through of a building against which a ladder is placed. The Rice cable assembly is only usable with ladders having hollow rungs containing openings along the outside surfaces of the ladder legs, which openings align and communicate with the passageways through the hollow rungs, since a central portion of the cable must extend through a selected one of the rungs. The Byrd patent discloses a strap containing a central portion and two end portions connected to opposite ends of the central portion. Each end strap has a pair of rigid buckles connected to one end thereof for attachment to a free end of the central strap and a latch for looping each end strap about a different one of the ladder legs. The Byrd strap is adapted solely for stabilizing a ladder in an upright position against a pole or tree trunk. The Kelly patent discloses a pair of belts connected to different ones of a pair of end brackets mounted on upper ends of the legs of a ladder for use in stabilizing the ladder against a pole or tree trunk. The pole or tree trunk fits between the belts. The patent to Colglazier et al. discloses a double hook assembly which is attached to a rung of a ladder by means of a chain wrapped around the selected rung and connected back on itself by means of a hook attached to the free end of the chain. The double hook assembly holds the ladder in place in front of a window by extending through the base of the window opening and catching against an interior wall. The Colglazier et al. device is only usable where unfinished walls are involved as the double hooks which bite an interior wall to stabilize a ladder would most certainly do damage to a finished wall.
Lastly, the patent to Barrow is the only one of the previously cited patents which includes a belt attached to a rigid body, which body is attachable about the rung of a ladder. The body includes a plate having an arcuate cut out portion for fitting against a post, whereby the Barrow device is only adapted for use in securing a ladder to a curved surface such as a pole or tree trunk. Moreover, as is also true in all of the aforementioned patents, the belt can not be conveniently stored against the body of the device when not in use.
By means of my invention, these and other shortcomings of prior art ladder safety devices are substantially overcome.